Code:
mafia
Name | Job | Status |
1. ADG | Local Fisherman | Alive |
2. Rah | Dockfront Tavern Owner | Alive |
3. Kassiopeia | Cabin Boy | Alive |
4. GhengisFarb | Painter | Alive |
5. Theben | Pirate Tough | Alive |
6. Zopperoni | Captain Duke's Manservant | Alive |
7. Jonny | Pirate Mate | Alive |
8. Frozzy | Pirate Rigger | Alive |
9. Spaced Cowboy | Cattle Farmer | Alive |
10. Joncha | Pimp | Alive |
11. Rasputin | Priest | Alive |
12. Alva | Local Milita Captain | Alive |
13. Jon Miller | Town Clerk | Alive |
14. Guynemer | Ship's Cook | Alive |
15. Spiffor | Town Mayor | Alive |
16. GJRamsey | Ship's Log Keeper | Alive |
17. Hercules | Pirate Anchorman | Alive |
18. Tuberski | Helmsman | Alive |
19. Skanky Burns | Grog Salesman | Alive |
20. SnowFire | Apprentice Pirate | Alive |
21. Ljcvetko | Pirate Detective | Alive |
22. Vovan | Pirate Gunner | Alive |
23. Pave | Pirate Lookout | Alive |
24. DrSpike | Ship's Doctor | Alive |
25. Chaunk | Chicken Farmer | Alive |
26. Boshko | Pirate Storekeeper | Alive |
27. FlameFlash | Missionary | Alive |
28. Duke o'York | Captain of the Apolyton | Alive |
The Island lay like a shimmering green gem, laid about with brilliant golden strands of sand, and lapped by gentle waves of the most celestial blue. The few residents of Port Grog, set at the head of the great bay that formed a natural harbour on the leeward side of the Island, gave thanks everyday for the providence that had brought them to live in such a place, where the sun always shone, the sea was always warm, and the coconuts always ripe.
ADG, one of the Island's fishermen, rowed across Port Grog Bay in his small boat. The day's catch had been good, but as he looked out of the mouth of the bay, towards the great rolling ocean, he fancied he saw a small black smudge on the horizon...
The small town's mayor, a retired sailor from France called Spiffor left his office and left the door unlocked, as he always did. He called to Jon Miller, the town clerk, in the next room.
"Ye may as well leave your labours, monsignor," he said "Tha'll be no more ships come today."
"Aye, mister mayor," replied the clerk, "Weather's turnin' to."
* * * * *
"Captain!" called Jonny "Captian Duke, sir!"
A tall dark figure stood hard by the poop railing, seemingly oblivious to the spray thrown accross the deck of the Apolyton
"Captain!" shouted the ship's mate again "Can ye hear me sir!"
"Ye'll not get a word from yer Black Duke there," said Zopperoni "He's awful angry about something."
Jonny ignored the captain's servant and climbed onto the aft deck to address the captain personally.
"Aye," muttered Captain Duke, "Aye, she blows tonight!"
"Captain," repeated Jonny, "She'll break her back in these seas, we need to make sail for that island."
"Call all hands to deck, me matie," commanded the Black Duke, "We're a'sailing for port."
* * * * *
The storm hit the Island with unaccostumed force. It was only rarely in FlameFlash's many years working as a missionary amoung the local tribals that he has seen it rain so hard. He was glad to be inside by the warm fire in Rah's Waterfront Bar, drinking a glass of hot grog.
* * * * *
"Land Ho!" screamed Pave from the topgallant mast of the Apolyton.
"Arr," complained Theben, "I din't give up bein' a butcher to go runnin' t'land when t'wind blows."
"Aye," agreed Frozzy, "But after t'last scrap with His Majesty's boys we 'ardly 'ave enough rope to tie round yer finger. We're needing a port bad."
The ship lurched though the heaving seas towards the distant black hump of the Island, her captain unmoving and unflinching on the aft deck as wave after wave washed him with salt.
* * * * *
GhengisFarb cursed and threw his brushes on the floor. Another watercolour painting ruined by the rain. He'd expected to make his fortune painting the local wildlife for sale back home, but his funds had expired to the point were he couldn't even afford to fix the holes in the roof of his shack.
* * * * *
"What's this island we're aimed for, sir?" Kassiopea the cabin boy's high voice carried across the roar of the wind.
"Let me see, me young lad," said GJRamsey, consulting a large chart, "Well, we're 'ere yesterday, and with the wind from the east like this... oh..."
The old pirate's face went pale.
"What's the matter?" piped Kassi.
GJRamsey shook his head and answered,
"Its the Island, son, the Island of Death."
* * * * *
"My chickens are all spooked by this storm," complained Chaunk in Rah's Bar.
"My cattle too," replied Spaced Cowboy
He banged on the bartop
"Whaddya want?" asked Rah, "If its grog ye be after, then ye'll 'ave ta wait on Skanky Burns."
"'E'll not 'ave ta be long in the waiting though," said Skanky Burns rolling a barrel through the bar's doors. "Tha'll be two pieces o'eight, and sixpence for t'weather."
Rah smiled out of the side of his mouth,
"Aye," he replied, "And I'll take half a shilling for me patience. Them customers 'ave been waiting on grog."
* * * * *
The Apolyton hit the reef with a grinding noise audible even above the raging storm.
"Abandon ship, me maties!" called Vovan, who gave his beloved cannon a last pat before diving overboard.
Tuberski clung grimly to the wheel.
"I'll try and drive her onto t'beach, sir!" he called "I'll not leave the ship!"
"Are you gone mad?" asked DrSpike "Do you want to die, after all the labours I put into your new leg?"
"Aye," laughed Tuberski "I can't swim with a wooden leg, it floats to the top, and me head goes under!"
* * * * *
"And then," said Father Rasputin, "And then... *hic* ...I don't remember..."
"Then she was worth every dammned penny!" said Joncha with a laugh.
The villagers were all in Rah's Bar, sheltering from the storm, and partaking of his grog, when Alva came bursting through the door.
"Pirates!" he cried "Pirates in the bay! Form the militia, men!"
The villagers grabbed their cutlasses and pistols and hurried into the storm.
* * * * *
As the Apolyton ground into the sandy beach by Port Grog, Hercules flexed his massive shoulders and heaved the anchor overboard, narrowly missing the small mob that had gathered on the sand.
"Is this the normal way to park our boat?" asked Snowfire, on his first voyage.
"No," said Guynemer, packing his pans into a large sack, "We normally use a dock, and she's a ship, not a boat."
Boshko took the sack and loaded it into one of the crates he'd stood on the deck.
"We need to get her unloaded before she breaks apart, you lazy dogs!" he cursed, aiming a kick at Snowfire, who dodged and fell overboard into the sand next to Ljcvetko.
"Ah" said the famous pirate detective, "You seem to have run aground!"
* * * * *
The millita Alva had formed put their weapons away. The few pirates that survived the wreck of the Apolyton only needed a warm bed and a cup of grog, not a bloody fight. They all went to Rah's place to get dry, and talk about what to do next. Only the old log keeper stood a moment by the broken-backed wreck and mumbled to himself.
"We'll be needing that ship, aye that we will, for 'tis the Island of Death, and there be no mistake about it..."
"What's that?" asked Rasputin, "Island of Death?" Nonsense, I've been priest here for 20 years, and never performed more than a dozen funerals."
"Aye," replied GJRamsey, "But what happ't to t'old bugger that were priest before ye?"
He walked off down the beach, leaving a very scared Rasputin behind.
-Jam
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